Weft-changing mechanism for looms



P 1945- H. B RACEWELL WEFT-CHANGING MECHANISM FOR LOOMS Filed May 20, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 1945- H. BR ACEWELL WEFT-CHANGING MECHANlSM FOR L OOMS Filed May 20, 1941 2 'Sheets-Sh eet 2 Patented Apr. 17, 1945 ED: PATENT oFFicE 2,373,94a WEFTf-GH'ANGING' MECHANISM FOR IJOOMSI Havrymvwceweu, D aaan;. 1sumbay;.

Bnitish lndiai Application-May 20, 1941,. SeriaI'Nb. 39 11341 In Britishxlndia JanufarYS, 1'94-1 The invention relates to looms. and. hasii'more particularly for its object. to provide meansfor automatically replenishing the weft in a loom For convenience in terminology throughout the present specification the termpirn. means the ofweft-thread' remainingon the bobbimw-hich -is stillusah1e in. the: weaving operation of the loom= A spent or exhausted shuttle. is one in which the. pi'rn is. exhausted; of weft-threadzor of. which the weft-thread; has broken orrequires changing, thereby exhausting the immediate use (it the pirnin the weaving operation of the loom; ]-he term picker means; the; mechanism provided for effecting the propulsion ofa-shuttle through the warpthreads from one sides-of: the. loom to theotheri Hitherto the automaticrreplenishing; of thezlef te thread. in a. loom has usually been effected in either one of twoalternative Ways: According to one method the. loomoperates with anvautomatic pirn-chang-ing' mechanism whereby a-sin-gle-shutftlelis used and when the pirn. isexhausted: of weft-thread a fresh full pirn from v a: battery or magazine of. pirns is introduced. intoi'the: shuttle;

sllch as. by a hammer type otpim -changer which forces a: fresh pirn into the Shll-ttlzby a, blow from the-hammer, generally vertically; and: simultaneously discharges the exhaustedrpirri from the shuttle. According: to: the: other method, a battery or ,magazine ofshuttles isprovided; in or associated-:with anommon shuttle=box, together with" v a: shuttle-changing? mechanism whereby as soon. as the pirn inthe operative shuttle is exhausted oi weft-thread theshuttlewith" the exhausted pirnis discharged from the shuttl'e box into: another receptacle and a fresh shuttle" with a full pirnis introduced into theshuttle-hox in itspl'ace: Thedischarged shuttle is then taken away'to be replenishedby'hand; with'a full pirn and is introduced again into the magazine of shuttles. I

However; both methods have their disadvan tag'es. In the pirn-changin'g' type of" automatic mechanism the one shuttle is in operation the whole time and thereby'becomes heated, which is disadvantageous. Also; thetime available forthe change ofthepirnjis. extremely short as the exhausted'l pirn has to be. discharged. and a new piinlihtroduced into the shuttle during the return movement of the slay of the loom, which is generally amat'ter of. a. fractioii of'a second. only.

In the shuttle-changing type of automatic m'ech- Also, it' has only been found possible hitherto to 7 applythe. automaticpi'rn-chang e and shuttlechanige; mechanisms; above described to underpi'cki loomsho'wi'ng to the reservoir or magazinerequiited for thepirns andflor shuttles and' the transfer mechanism adoptedinot beingv compatible wi.th-.the design: andoperation of'lthe other parts oft the operative mechanism of an over-pick? loom. is a serious disadvantage Whichhas hitherto. prevented the adoption of. automatic weft-replenishing. means to any extent in: the looms in use in certain countries Where practically the whole ofthe weaving; machinery is of the overpick type andpractically the whole'of the weaving labouris: therefore accustomedx to fdverpicki looms/ 'IEhe present: invention has. for one objectto providaan improvedweft-replenishing means for a' IOOmWhiChr overcomes the stated disadvantages inherent-1m the. automatic pirn changing and automatio' shuttle=changin mechanism previously'proposed: v 1

Ithasr for another. object to provide an imas: desired) and.- which may particularly be designe d for and' used in an overp'ick m; and more particularly anattachment which" maybe addiadtban exist-mgoverpick loom without nece'ssitating any substantialalterations in the latter; f p

It has for a further object toprovide an improved automatically operating weft replenishin'g means-for aloomwhfchallows amuch'longer time for thereple'nishment of the Weft" than the automaticmeans-previously proposed and which gives a moregenfle'acti-on and a better chance of a perfect replenishm'entf' and satisfactory continuan'c'e inthe'operatiorrofthe loomtha'n with vertical-repieni'shmentsas hitherto:

It has for a sti'll'further ob'je'ct to-p'rovide an improvedhuttimatioallyoperating weft-replenish- 1H8 means fora 100m? which may 15E" USEdfi with standard pickers and their associated mechanism and which is simple and economical in manufacture, installation, use and maintenance.

The improved weft-replenishing means in accordance with the invention is based on the fundamental conception of combining in the one mechanism the advantages of both the pirnchange and shuttle-change types of automatic weft-replenishing mechanisms previously proposed, whilst eliminating their disadvantages. Thus, in accordance with the invention, it is proposed to employ a number of shuttles so as to avoid the disadvantages of the single shuttle of the pirn-change mechanism previously proposed, but to use only a small number of such shuttles and to combine with them the pirn-change principle whereby the few shuttles may be replenished automatically when not in immediate use and be successively brought back again before the picker for use, thereby avoiding the necessity of a large supply of shuttles, their discharge from the shuttle-box under conditions wherein they may become damaged and their replenishment outside of the loom such as is required in the automatic shuttle-change mechanism previously proposed.

In a specific and preferred form of the invention for accomplishing the desired objects, and as applied particularly to an overpick loom of the known type having the shuttle-housing and picker mechanisms thereof carried on a swin rail and a weft-feeler means for indicating the failure of the weft-thread, there is provided the combination of a revclvable multiple-compartment shuttle-box carried on the swing rail of the loom, having at least three compartments and each of the compartments of which is adapted to house an individual shuttle, means controlled by the said weft-feeler means whereby upon the weft-thread failing the said multiple-comparL ment shuttle-box is caused to revolve a part of a turn at a succeedin beating-up movement of the slay of the loom to displace a shuttlehousing compartment thereof from opposite the picker of the loom and to bring the next succeeding shuttle-housing compartment thereof into the vacated position opposite the: picker, a pirnchanging mechanism including a stationary pirn magazine mounted towards the front of the loom and a pirn-transfer member fulcrumed on the swing rail of the loom, the said pirnchanging mechanism being so positioned relatively to the said multiple-compartment shuttle-box that when the said box is revolved to displace a compartment thereof from opposite the picker yet an- -other compartment thereof is brought into cooperative relationship with the said pirn-changing mechanism, and means controlled by the beating-up movement of the slay of the loom at the immediately next pick of the loom succeeding the change of shuttles from opposite the picker, whereby the said pirn-changing mechanism is caused to operate by a blow from the ham mer to effect a substantially horizontal transfer with a fresh pirn from the magazine from the front of the loom in counter-stroke to the movement of the shuttle-box as it approaches with the slay from the back of the loom, whereby to refill with a fresh pirn the shuttle in that compartment of the said multiple-box which has been brought into cooperative relationship with the said pirn-changing mechanism.

The invention as to its basic features of novelty may, however, be considered from a number of different aspects, each of which may be considered as being of importance per se, and these will be more specifically explained in the following description and illustrated in the accompanying drawings and defined separately and in combination in the appended claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side view of part of a loom showing the loom slay carried on a swing rail together with an automatic weft-replenishing means according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the mechanism illustrated in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the multiple-compartment shuttle-box and pim magazine of the invention taken along the line III-III of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a time-action chart illustrating the cycle of operations of the mechanism.

Fig. 5 is a detail horizontal sectional view through the loom illustrating parts of the shuttle replenishing mechanism.

Fig. 6 is a detail section on the line 6-6 of Fig. 5.

The invention is illustrated in the drawings as applied to an overpick loom of the known type having the shuttle-housing and picker mechanisms and the slay of the loom carried on a swing rail and only those parts of the loom necessary to the understanding of the invention are illustrated and will hereinafter be referred to.

As illustrated, the slay I is carried in known manner by the slay sword Ia on the swing rail (or rockshaft) 2 of the loom. The loom being of the overpick type, the picker P is adapted to be whipped along the picker spindle or rail 8 (which extends over the top of the shuttle-housing mechanism) by the picker staff T. All these parts are of known standard construction.

In accordance with the invention, mounted on stub-shafts 4 in a frame-work 3 secured at one side to the said slay-sword la and fulcrumed at the other side on the swing rail 2, is a revolvable multiple-compartment shuttle-box 5. The construction of this shuttle-box is shown more particularly in Figs. 2 and 3 from which it will be seen that it is of generally cylindrical form and is revolvable about its longitudinal axis on the stub-shafts 4. It comprises a central axis-part 6 from which radiate (as shown) four brackets I each of which carries an individual open-topped and open-backed compartment or box 8 adapted to house a shuttle S. Each of the said compartments or boxes is open-topped because when in the top position of the box opposite the picker it must allow for the passage of the picker P as it is being whipped along the rail s. The said multiple-compartment shuttle-box is revolvable on its stub-shafts 4 in the frame-work 3, in order to bring each of its four compartments in turn into the top position opposite the picker P, by means of a chain-wheel 9 mounted on one of the said stub-shafts and which is connected by means of a chain ID to a driving chain-wheel II which is rotatably mounted on a stub-shaft i2 carried by the lower end of the slay-sword la. The chain-wheels H and 9 are preferably in a two to one ratio whereby rotation of the driving chain-wheel II by one-eighth of a turn rotates the wheel 9, and thereby the revolvable shuttlebox 5, by one-quarter of a turn, 1. e. the distance between two consecutive compartments or boxes thereof.

The wheel II has formed integrally therewith, or keyed thereto, to one side of the wheel proper, a wheel-shaped driving part including driving bars I ia (shown more particularly in Fig 29 by meansof which the rotation of. the wheel I i is effected under the co' opera'ti-ve control of='a lug orproje'cti'on 1 3 pivoted at M in a bracket tfi bo lted to the stationary frame-work it of the lo'onr and which-may be lowered into and raisedout of" operating position relatively to thesaid driving chain-wheel I by means of a control-mod H To this end; the lower end of the said control rod M. is pivotally connected to the'lug It and the upper end:' thereof is connected' by a link new a horizontal rod 19: connectedto the weft-fork of the 100m (not shown) andwhich thereby forms part of the weft f'eeler motion: The weft-feeler motion is at the opp'ositeside' of the loom from the weft replenishingrmoti'on-but as it may be of any of the many types of. weft-feeler motions and is not a part of the invention, it isnot illustrated or described: in detail"; The arrangement of the described mechanism is such that when the weftthread fails the weft fork remains down and causes: rotation of the horizontal rod I9- which in: turn depresses through the link IS: the contro l-rod Ill and lowers the lug I 3 into itsoperating position relatively to the chain-wheel H. The latter is caused to revolve, and with it-the multiple-compartment shuttle-box 5, when the driving bars Ha. thereof are brought into engagement with the said lowered lug 13 when the. slayand slay-sword carrying the said wheel nextapproach the said lug during a forward or'beating-up' movement. of the slay. The wefttork and: connected control. rod ll may be returned: into, or assisted in their return into;

their normal positions by means of a spring (not shown). 7

In. order to maintain the multiple-compartment shuttle-box .5 steady when not being revolved; a hammer 32.controlled by a spring 33 bears'against-a squared wheel 34 fixed: to one of the said. stub shafts 4 of the box.

-For (to-operation in the control of the pirn- 7 change operation for a shuttle which is not opposite the picker of the loom,.the control-rod I! has also fixed thereto, such as by a set-screw; an arm the extremity of which, when the control-rod I1 is depressecLis adapted to come below the lip Illa of a lever 2i which is fixed to the top end of another lever 22 which is pivotally mounted at its centre 23' in a slotted bracket 23a carried by the framework I6 of the loom.

The" top face of the lip 21a is beveled and the lower face of theyextremity 20a of the arm 20 is also preferably beveled and the arm- 20 is resilient so as to yield in a horizontal direction. In. the normal position of the rod H the extremity 25a, of. the arm 20 is disposed above the lip 21a and upondepression of said rod the engage-merit of the beveled surfaces causes lateral deflectionof the resilient arm 20 whereby the extremity 28a assumes a position below the lip 210,- as shown in the drawings. When the'rod i1 is lifted, however, the extremity 20a engages the lip-2m and lifts the-lever 2| for a purpose to be hereinafter more fully described.

A pirn-changing mechanism comprising a pirn-magazine 24, shown in Figs. 1 and 3 but not in'Fig. 2, is stationarily mounted on the framework l6 towardsthe front of th loom in such a position thatthe discharge-end 2520f. the said magazine through which a pirn is to be discharged is located; in exactly the. right position for the: transfer ot a. pirn: into: a compartment. oi the. multiple compartm'ent shuttle-box; 5: the sla'y sword: la: carrying the said; box is in the forward or. beatingup-position. The'pirnchanging mechanism is. of: the. hammer-type,. the pirn transfer member comprising a, hammerhead: Zfi mounted. on a hammer-lever 21 which i -hing-edi at its centre 28 and is fulcrumed' atits lower end 29 on the swing rail; 2 of the loom. The said hammer lever 2] is: held. straight by a spiral spring 30 which nevertheless yields in order to prevent. breakage ofi machine parts should any obstruction: interfere. with. the proper transter of a, pint from the magazine 24. The hammer-never 2b is normally held. in its forward positionlbythe tension of a. spring 21a.

The said pirn transfer mechanism is adapted to beoperated-under the joint control. of an operating stud or projection 31 carried on the lower end ofi the lever 22 and of a'stud .3-5. fixed to th'e slay sword. l a. This stud 353 is adapted to co -operate with the end. of the lever 2-1, when the latter has been raised into the operative position by the cooperation of the raised extremity 20?]; with the lip 21a, insuch a manner thatwhenthe slay-sword la is moving into the forward or beating. up position it pushes back throughathestu'd 35. the said lever 2| and thereby causes the lever 22 to pivot around its fulcrum..2-3", whereby the stud or projection 3| is caused to engage behind. the pirn-transfer hammer 2t and to. displace. it in the opposite direction-to the movement of: the slay-sword log, in. order: to strike: a: pirn out of the. magazine 2n. into that. compartment of. the multiple shuttle-box 5- which: is in a position ready to receive its a Y r Fig: 4 is a time-action-= chartshowing in a genera-l: way the sequence of. events in the operationof the weft-changing mechanism. The diagram represents two' picks because the cycle of. operation extends over a, period of that duration, The; points on. the circle designated F. C.

correspond: with the front center position ofthe loom crank and: the points B. C. correspond with the back center position. At the point I the loom crankis at the front center and the operative shuttle is at the starting side. of the loom. From points I: to II, when the weft in the operative shuttle is exhausted, the weft-work motion causes" the horizontal shaft l9 to rotate and. thus the link l8'depresses the control rod H and also the lug [3. From II to III the operative shuttle is traveling to the battery side of thegloom. At the point represented at III the operative shuttle i in the multiple shuttle box. From III to-IV the slay comes forward and the lug 1-3 engages with one of the driving bars Ila of the chain wheel ll thus causing said wheel to rotate and, through the chain H], the multiple shuttle box is turned a quarter of a revolution thereby taking the exhausted shuttle out of operationgand disposing the compartment of the shuttle box containing a fresh pirn in operative position. At the point IV'the loom crank is at the front center with the operative shuttle in .the shuttle box.. From IV to V the control rod 1"! is lifted to its original position by a spring and thus the lug l3 is lifted out of the path of the bars Ho. The arm 20 fixed to the rod .l'l participates in this upward movement and raises the lever 2i into horizontal position. From V [to VI the full shuttle is traveling to the starting side oftheloom. From VI to I the slay sword comes forward and the stud 35% comes into contact with the lever 2i and puhes it toward the front of the loom, thus causing the transfer hammer head 26 to press a full pirn into the front shuttle compartment. When the lever 2| is pushed to the front of the loom it falls off of the arm 2!! and remains down and is therefore out of the path of the stud 35 until the next change takes place.

The complete automatic operation of the described mechanism is as follows:

On the Weft-thread failing, such as due to the pirn in the operative shuttle being exhausted or breaking, the weft-fork operates in known manner on the backward beat of the slay when the shuttle is moving towards the multiple shuttle-box side of the 100m. and causes the horizontal rod 19 to rotate, which in turn depresses through the link l8 the control-rod IT. This lowers the lug i3 into operative relationship with the chainwheel H, Ha and at the same time lowers the extremity of the arm 20 below the lip of the lever 21, the beveled surface of the lip 2la and extremity 20a deflecting the resilient arm 20 during this motion. These operations take place during the time that the spent shuttle returns into its compartment of the multiple shuttle-box 5. At the same pick of the loom, when the slay-sword and slay on the swing-rail 2' are moving into the forward or beating-up position from the back centre to the front of the loom in the direction of the straight arrow A shown in Fig. 1, one of the driving bars Ila of the chain-wheel H are brought into engagement against the end of the lug l3 and thereby cause the wheel to revolve one-eighth of a turn. This correspondingly revolves the multiple-compartment shuttle-box 5 by one quarter of a turn in the direction of the curved arrow B. This displaces that compartment of the said shuttle-box which houses'the spent shuttle away from its top position opposite the picker of the loom and simultaneously brings into the vacated position that compartment of the shuttle-box which was turned towards the front of the loom opposite the pirn magazine 24 and which previously had been filled with a fresh pirn. Simultaneously, that compartment of the said shuttle-box which was in the position immediately preceding the said front position of co-operation with the pirn-changing mechanism is brought into the said front position. Therefore, upon the return of the spent shuttle intoits compartment of the multiple-box after the weft-thread has failed, at the next pick of the loom a fresh shuttle with a full pirn is substituted for the spent shuttle and a shuttle to be replenished is presented to the pirn-changing mechanism.

During this pick of the loom atwhich the multiple-compartment shuttle-box 5 is revolved, as at all other picks of the loom during normal weaving when no shuttle or pirn-change at all are to be 'eifected, the pirn-transfer mechanism 26, 21, does not operate because the extremity of the lever 21 has not been raised into operative relationship with the stud 35 on the slay sword la in'order to be operated thereby when the slay returns into its forward or beating-up position. There is, however, effected a, preliminary or initiating operation for the pirn-change, which takes place by the extremity of the arm 20 on the depressed control-rod H being brought below the lip of the lever 2| which controls the pirn-transfer. The latter operation is possible, however, only after the control-rod I! has risen again with the weft-work when the said fork returns into its weaving position, because, through cooperation of the lip Zia. and the extremity 2011, it thereby raises the end of the said lever 2i into position for co-operation with the stud on the slay-sword la at the next forward or beating up movement of the slay. A small spiral spring (not shown), which may be fitted in any suitable position, may assist in raising the control-rod I1 and the weft-fork to the weaving position at the first pick with the fresh shuttle. During normal weaving no such raising of the end of the lever 2! into the cooperative position with the stud 35 on the slaysword can take place because the control-rod 11 with the arm 20 has not been depressed, so that the said arm cannot rise again under the lip of the lever 2|. This can only take place after the control-rod H has first been depressed by the failure of the weft-thread.

The next pick of the loom is efiected with the fresh shuttle which has been moved in its compartment of the multiple-box 5 into the top operative position opposite the picker in the manner described. When the slay returns into its forward or beating-up position at this pick, the tud 35 carried thereby engages the end of the lever 2| and by pushing back the latter and thereby causing the lever 22 to pivot around its fulcrum 23, causes the stud or projection 3! on the lower end of the lever 22 to engage behind the pirn-transfer hammer lever 2'! and to displace it in the direction towards the back of the loom to strike a pirn out of the magazine 24 into that compartment of the multiple shuttlebox which has been brought into the front p0- sition opposite thereto at the previous pick of the loom. It will be noted that in this transfer, as the multiple-compartment shuttle-box 5 is being carried in the forward or beating-up movement of the slay of the loom, the shuttle in the compartment thereof which is to be replenished is moving towards the pirn-magazine at the front of the loom and at the same time the pirn-change hammer head 25 on the hammer 2lis striking in the opposite direction to displace the fresh pirn from the magazine, thereby simultaneously giving it 'a movement in a direction towards the shuttle to be replenished. Both these movements take place on the same are of a circle, since both the co-operating parts described are fulcrumed on the swing-rail 2 of the loom, and the transfer is effected substantially horizontally from the front of the loom. This facilitates the transfer, ensures a more gentle action than with vertical transfers and minimises possibility of faulty transfer.

The fresh pirn p is struck by the pirn-transfer hammer 2B, 27 in the manner described out of the pirn-magazine 24 into the shuttle S to be replenished and this simultaneously discharges the spent-pirn out of the shuttle. The spentpirn is discharged through the open back wall of the compartment of the multiple shuttle-box and down in the direction of the curved arrow C shown-in Figure 3 through a recess between the said compartment of the shuttle-box and the immediately succeeding compartment into a pirn-receiving receptacle (not shown).

In this and at subsequent picks of the loom, the multiple-compartment shuttle-box 5 is held steady by the action of the spring hammer 32, 33

which: bears against: the squared wheel. 34: fixed to the stub-shaft 4 of the shuttle-box.

As. the lever 22 is swung't'o' operate the hammer-lever 21 by/the forwardly moving studvv 35 the: lip: Zila slides across and J disengages. the: extre'mity 20m and thus," as the hammer-lever is restored to. normal positionby'the spring: 21a during the succeeding: rearward motion of the slay, the lever 2'2v iszalso:v returneditoi its normal position with the hp 2! a; lying directy' below the beveled extremity 20a: and out/of the path. of the stud 35. v

In order: to avoid the: troubleknown as rebounding shuttle such asfrequently occu'rsi-in the: previously proposed: automatic weft-replenisl-iingmeans,v and which would foulthe replenishmenti of the shuttle with. a new pi'rn' owing tattle: shuttle not being correctly: positionedin its. compartment of the: multiple-box 5 for the pirn tm beintroduced thereinto, means are provdedi for centralising a shuttle in its compartmentlof themultiple-box 5' during its displacement from opposite the picker (when spent) intot-the from; position opposite thepirn-changingimechanism 247 for the replenishment of the weft; This. shuttle-centralising means consists of twmguid'e plates 36 36a secured respectively to: the: framework housing the multiple-compartment' shuttle box, one on either side of the said box, and which extend respectively one towards the front and the other towards the rear: so that. m the successive positions taken up by.-'the:revolvableshuttle box during its rotation, the shuttles. in. all. the compartmehtsthereof, whetbentliey' have overrun themselves or'rehounded, are urged by the said guide plates from either. side of: thesaid' box intothe centrnl position ready toreceiveapirn from the pimt-magazine' when brought in turn into the front position of the box in co-operativer'el'a tionshirrwith the said magazine.

It will' be appreciated that the described construction and mode of: operation of the automatic weft-replenishing means in accordance with the inventionv have numerous important and desirable features of general novelty." Thus, in view of; the arrangement of the multiple-compartment shuttle-box 5 and its mode of operation, there results that each of the shuttle boxes formed by the several compartments housing theirindi'vidual shuttles is brought in turn into and: displaced from apredetermined position which. is the top positionof'operation in front of the picker.. Furthermore, all the saidshuttleboxes with. their shuttles, are displaced simi1ltaneous'ly so that eachshuttle-box{is-brought into the place vacated by another shuttle-box, one

' ment shuttle-box 5', each with its individualishutand arelbrought back again-to thepicker, all in thesamewdirectionlof movement. V I

The pirn-changebeing effected by co-opera tion between the lever 2landthestud 35 on the slay-sword; this makes it dependent upon the previous rotation of the multiple-compartment shuttle-box 5 to displace a spent-shuttle therefrom: from oppos'ite-Lthe picker, to bring; a fresh shuttle intothe vacated place and to bring a spent-shuttle opposite the pirn-changi'ng mechanism, owing to'the fact thatthe lever 2| can only be raised into the operative position if the control rod l'lhaspreviously been depressed to revolve the multiple-compartment shuttle-box 5 and has been raisedragain carrying with it. the arm 20. It furthermore ensures that the pinechange is only effected at-the-next pick of the loom succeeding the change: of: shuttles'opposite the picker and after the presentationofi thespent shuttle to be replenished to the. pirn. transfer mechanism 24, 26, 21. It furthermore ensures that the pirn-change itself: is effected in two stages atsuccessive pioksofthe 100m; the-shuttle to be replenished being presented to the transiermechanismat one pick and. the actual transfer being .efl ected at the next pick.- sun further, the replenished shuttleisonly presented again to the picker for further pickingvat. astilllaterstage in. the; weaving when the shuttle in. operative. use during the transfer. has been spentr- These features of novelty in the construction and. operation: of the; weft-replenishing means in accordance with, the invention have a. number of important practical. advantages ascompared to prior proposals:ofautomaticweftereplenishing means. These areaslfollows-p Firstly, by the use or the multiple-comparttle S, in combination With the automaticpirntransfer, mechanism for replenishing. a shuttle while in its box when not. opposite. the picker,

' there is avoided the disadvantages of a single shuttle-box. being displaced from opposite the v ates in the described: manner with a single direction of: movement and the shuttles thereof are brought in turn to the picker ofthe loom tobe picked andarethen displaced from such position when spent, arereplenished with'weft shuttle getting hot owing, to continuousv use thereof or of a'large number of shuttles having successively to be. used. and discharged from a single shuttle-box, thereby causing, damage vto the same, because the shuttles never leave their respective boxes for replenishment. I

Secondly, owing to 'a shuttle with its full pirn in its compartment of the multiple-compartment shuttle-box beingall ready tolbe changedmerely by revolving the shuttle-box a part of a turn upon the weft-thread failing, this ensures a sub- 's'tant'iall continuous operation of the loom-with- 'out'nialiin'g the same dependent upon a l-immediatereplenishment of a shuttle with weft which must be used immediately.

Thirdly'; owingto the replenishment with weft being cheated in two stages which" takeplace-at tear and lesspossibility of defectiveoperation of the machine parts, v

Fourthly, owing to the spent-shuttle and fresh pirnto be introduced thereinto being moved simultaneously towards one another on thesame arc of'fa circle during the transfer, this further ensures a more gentle and accurate replenishmentwith weft than with vertical transfers.

Fifthly, owing tothe constructional details of l the mechanism whereby a spent-shuttle to be replenished is displaced in its shuttle-box from opposite the picker of the loom and is brought into another position opposite a pirn-changing mechanism which is placed to one side of the operational mechanism of the loom proper i. e. to one side of the shuttle-housing and picker mechanisms and of the slay of the loom, this results in the mechanism being applicable either to underpick or overpick looms and, in the form described, being particularly adapted for attachment to an existing overpick loom of the known type having the shuttle-housing and picker mechanisms and the slay mounted for pivotal movement on a swing rail of the loom.

It will also be understood that the invention is not restricted to the specific details thereof which have been described above by way of example only and that many modifications of the embodi ment described may be made within the scope of the appended claims. For example, it is not necessary that there should be only three or four shuttles each in its individual box or compartment of a multiple-box. There may be more, such as five or six. Also, although it is preferred that the shuttle-housing mechanism should be in the form of a multiple-compartment shuttlebox, it is not necessary that it should'be of the revolving type specifically described. Still further, it is not necessary that the pirn transfer should be efiected on that shuttle which is the immediately next one to be used in the weaving. By a suitable design of the various parts of the machine, it could be effected upon a spent-shuttle at any intermediate position between that when it is opposite the picker and that when it is to be presented again for use.

I claim:

1. In a loom having a picker-mechanism for picking the weft in a shuttle, the combination of a plurality of movable shuttle-boxes, each for housing an individual shuttle, means whereby each of the said shuttle-boxes may be brought in turn opposite the said picker for picking the shuttle thereof and may be displaced from such position when the shuttle is spent, means whereby a shuttle in its box which has been so displaced from opposite the picker may be presented to a pirn-changing mechanism, a pirn-changing mechanism for effecting the replenishment of such a shuttle with a fresh pirn, and means whereby the said pirn-changing mechanism only operates to effect such replenishment of the pirn at a pick of the loom subsequent to that at which the said shuttlewas presented to the said mechanism.

2. In a loom having a slay and a picker-mechanism for picking the weft in a shuttle, the combination of a plurality of movable shuttle-boxes, each for housing an individual shuttle, means whereby each of said shuttle-boxes may be brought in turn opposite the said picker for picking the shuttle thereof and may be displaced from such position when the shuttle is spent, a pirnchanging mechanism 50 positioned relatively to the said shuttle-boxes that a spent shuttle in a shuttle-box which is not opposite the said picker may be replenished with a fresh pirn without leaving its box, means whereby the initiation of the said pirn-change is made dependent upon the displacement 'of a said shuttle-box from opposite the said picker, and means dependent for its operation upon the movement of the slay of the loom for thereafter positively effecting the said pirn-change.

3. In a loom having a, picker-mechanism for picking the weft in a shuttle and a weft-feeler motion for indicating the failure of the weftthread, the combination of a revolvable multiplecompartment shuttle-box, each of the compartments of which constitutes a shuttle-box for housing an individual shuttle, and means whereby each of the said shuttle-housing compartments of the multiple-box may be brought in turn opposite the said picker for picking the shuttle thereof, and then be displaced therefrom when the shuttle is spent, such means including a driving wheel adapted to efiect a part rotation of the said multiple-compartment box, a lug adapted to co-operate in effecting a part rotation of the said wheel and which is normally in a nonoperative position relative to the said wheel, and means operative under the control of the said weft-feeler motion for displacing the said .lug into an operatiive position relatively to the said wheel when the weft-thread fails.

4. In a loom having a slay, a picker-mechanism for picking the weft in a shuttle and a weftfeeler motion for indicating the failure of the weft-thread, the combination claimed in claim 3 including a driving wheel for effecting the rotation ofthe said multiple-compartment shuttlebox which-is mounted'to partake of the movement of the slay of the loom, a control rod, linkmechanism connected thereto and to the weftfeeler motion for depressing the said rod when the weft-thread fails, and a lug carried by the said control rod and which is adapted to be lowered thereby from a non-operative position into an operative position relatively to the said driving wheel in order to rotate the same when the said driving wheel is brought into engagement therewith at the next movement of the slay of the loom in the direction of the said lug.

5. In a weft-replenishing mechanism for a loom of the kind in which a spent shuttle is presented to a pirn-changing mechanism for receiving a fresh pirn, means whereby as the said fresh pirn is being introduced into the shuttle to be replenished the said shuttle and thefresh pirn are caused to move simultaneously towards one another.

6-. In a loom having the shuttle-housing and picker-mechanisms thereof and the slay of the loom carried on a swing rail, the combination of a revolvable multiple-compartment shuttlebox also carried on the said swing rail and having at least three compartments, each of which constitutes a shuttle-box for housing an individual shuttle, means whereby the said multiplebox may be revolved to bring each of the shuttle-housing compartments thereof in turn opposite the said picker for picking the shuttle thereof and in turn in front of a pirn-changing mechanism to replenish the spent shuttle with a fresh pirn, and a pirn-changing mechanism including a stationary pirn magazine mounted to- .wards the front of the loom and a pirn-transfer member fulcrumed on the swing rail of the loom, the arrangement being such that the replenishment of a spent shuttle when so presented to the pirn-changing mechanism is accomplished during a beating-up movement of the said slay and of the said multiple-box around the said swing rail and by a counter movement of the said pirntransfer member also around the said swing rail, whereby both the fresh pirn and the spent shuttle are caused to move simultaneously towards one :another on the same are of -a=circle during the :pirn transfer.

7. In a loom having the slay andlthe shuttlehousing and picker mechanisms thereof carried on a swing rail and a weft-feeler motion for 'indicating the failure of the weft-thread, the combination :of a revolvable multiple-compartment shuttle-box also harried on the said eswin'g rail and having at least three compartments, ea-ch of whichis adapted "to house an individual shuttle, means controlled by the said weft-feelermotion whereby upon the weft-thread failing "the said multiple-compartment shuttle-box is-ca-used to revclvea partcf *a turn at a succeeding beating-up movement of the slay of the loom to displace a shuttle-housing compartment thereof from opposite the said picker and 'to bring the next succeeding shuttle-housing compartment thereof into the vacated position, and a 'pirnchanging mechanism including a stationary pirn magazine mounted towards the front of the loom and a pirn-transfer member fulcrumed on the said swing, rail of the loom, thesaid pirn-chaniging mechanism being so positioned relatively to the said multiple-compartment shuttle box that when the saidbox is revolved to displace a compartment thereof from opposite the said picker yet another compartment of the said multiplebtoxis brought into co-opera'tive relationship with the said ,pirn-changing mechanism, \and .means controlled bythe beating-up" movement -off the slay of the loom at the immediately next pick of the loom succeeding the said change of shuttle from opposite the picker, whereby the said pith-changing mechanism is caused to operate to refill with aireshpirnthe shuttlein -that compartment of the said multiple-bnxwhich has been brought into co-operative relationship with the said pirn-changing mechanism.

-8. In a loom having a slay and .a pickermechanism .for picking the weft in a shuttle, :the combination of .a plurality of mov,ab1e shuttle- -bcxes, each :for housing .an individual shuttle, means whereby each of the said shuttle-zboxes "may be brought in tu'rnopposite the said picker for picking the shuttle thereof (and :may be .displaced from such position when "the shuttle is spent, .a pirn-changing mechanism including a pirn magazine and a ,pirn-transfer hammer so positioned :relatively to said shuttle-boxes that aspentshuttle in ashuttle-box which ,is neit er)- posite the picker may be replenished with :afresh pirn without :leaui-ng rits box, 'a ,pivoted lever, a

stud on :said pivoted dever :torucontnolling =;the operation of the .said wpinn transfier hammer, an

operating lever .onzsaid pivoted lever adapted to ..be moved'from a non-operative position into an operative ,position when the pirn -transfe-r .is to be effected, and a stud :mounted to partake .thelmovlement .of .ztheslaymf ithe :loom sand which is adapted to ,push :baok the said operating lever .as the slay moves inone direction f :movement when the said lever .has been moved into the Bout cof rthe said :pirn :magazine. 1

.9. In a :loom having a slay, "a picker-.mechanism :for picking the weft .in :a :shuttle and 1a weft-feeler motion .for indicating the ffailure :of the weft-thread, lthe icombination 10f a :revolvable multiplmompartment shuttle-box a-mova-ble th .10. In an overpick doom-having r.the

the :said slay and leach of the -comp'ar'tments :of

- carried by and towards one-end of the said control rod which is adapted to be lowered thereby from a non-operative *pos'i tion into an operative position relatively to thesaid-driving wheel in order to rotate the same when the said driving whee'l is brought into "engagement therewith at the "next beating-up movement of the loom slay subsequent to the failureof the 'weft thread, a pirn changing mechanism including a "pirn 'magazine stationari'ly'mounted'towards the front ofthe loomand apirn-transfer hammer, a;pivo.ted lever, a stud on one endof said pivoted lever for controlling the operation of the said pinitransfer hammer, an operating lever on the other end of the'said'pivoted lever which is normally in a non-operative position, .an arm on'thesaid control rod controlling the rotation of 'Ithesaid driving wheel which arm, whenth'e said .controlrod is depressed upon 'thejwe'ftthread failing, is adapted to be lowered-helow'the said op erating lever of the ,pirn-=transfer hammer to raise the said lever into the operative position, anda studmounted to ,partake of the movement of the floom slay and whichiis adapted. to push back the said operating lever when .the latter 'hasjbeen raised .into the operative ,position at theimmediately next beating-.uplmovement of the ."loom slay, whereby the said pivoted lever is caused to pivotland to engage the saidstud carried thereby behind the ,pirtn-Itransfer hammer. .to displace lthelsame inthe opposite direction "to the beating-up :movement of .the loom vslay .in-order to strike a -.pirnlout of the said lpirn magazine. I

shuttlehousing and pickehmechanisms thereof .and the slaylof .the v-loom carried [on a swing rail and 1a wettafeeler motion .for indicating the failure of the weft thread, the \combination of a;revo1vable multiplecompartmentishuttle-looxalso carried von thelsaid swing ,railand havingiat least three-compartmentaieach of which constitutesa shuttlebox jor housing an individual shuttle, :means whereby the said multiple-box may he revolved .toldisplace -ashuttle-housing compartment there of from opposite the said picker and simultaneously .to bring another one into its vacated .place and-t presenta third one to a pirn-changing mechanism,.said.shuttle-hox-revolving-ameans including a @driving wheel also mountedon the said swing rail, a control rod, link-mechanism connected thereto and :to the said weft-feeler motion for depressing the said "rod .Whenthe weft-thread fails, a lug carried by-and towards oneendor the .said control rod whichis :adapted "movement of the loom slay, apirn-chang'ing mechanism including a l irn magazine 1 stationarily mounted towards the front of the loom and a pirn-transfer hammer tulcrumed on the swing rail of the loom, a pivoted lever, a stud on one end of said pivoted lever for controlling the operation of the said pirn-transfer hammer, an operating lever on the other end of the said pivoted lever and which is normally in a non-operative position, an arm on the said control rod controlling the rotation of the said driving wheel which arm, when the said control rod is depressed upon the weft-thread failing, is adapted to be lowered below the said operating lever of the pirn-transfer hammer to raise the said lever into the operative position, and a stud mounted to partake of the movement of the loom slay and which is adapted to push back-the said operating lever when the latter has been raised into the operative position at the immediately next beating-up movement of the loom slay, whereby the said pivoted lever is caused to pivot and to engage the said stud carried thereby behind the pirn-transfer hammer to pivot the same in the opposite direction to the beating-up movement of the loom slay in order to strike a pirn out of the said pirn magazine, whereby the said pirn is struck into the spent shuttle which has been presented to the pirn-changing mechanism while both the said fresh pirn and the spent shuttle are moving simultaneously towards one another on the same are of a circle.

11. In a loom having the shuttle-housing and picker mechanisms thereof and the slay of the loom carried on a, swing rail, the combination of a revolvable multiple-compartment shuttle-box, each of the compartments of which constitutes a shuttle-box for housing an individual shuttle,

means whereby the multiple-box may be revolved to bring each of the shuttle-housing compartments thereof opposite the picker for picking the shuttle thereof and be displaced therefrom when the shuttle is spent, and for a spent shuttle in a compartment of the multiple-box which is not opposite the picker to be presented to a pirnchanging mechanism, a pirn-changing mechanism including a stationary pirn-magazine mounted towards the front of the loom, a pirntransfer member, and means operable during a beating-up movement of the slay towards the front of the loom whereby the said pirn-transfer member is only caused to operate, to efiect the transfer of a pirn from the said magazine into the spent shuttle of that compartment of the multiple-box which has been brought into cooperative relationship with the said pirn-changing mechanism, at a pick of the loom subsequent to that at which the said spent shuttle was presented to the pirn-changing mechanism for replenishment.

12. In a loom having the shuttle-housing and picker mechanisms thereof and the slay of the loom carried on a swing rail, the combination of a revolvable multiple-compartment shuttle-box, ea ch of the compartments of which constitutes a shuttle-box for housing an individual shuttle, means whereby the multiple-box may be revolved to bring each of the shuttle-housing compartments thereof opposite the picker for picking the shuttle thereof and be displaced therefrom when the shuttle is spent, and for a spent shuttle in a compartment of the multiple-box which is not opposite the picker to be presented to a pirn changing mechanism, a pirn-changing mechanism including a stationary pirn magazine mounted towards the front of the loom, a pirntransfer member, means whereby the initiation of the pirn-change is made dependent upon the previous rotation of the said multiple-box to displace a spent shuttle from opposite the picker and to bring a spent shuttle opposite the pirn-changing mechanism, and means dependent for its operation upon a beating-up movement of the slay of the loom for only thereafter operating the said pirn-transfer member to effect the transfer of a pirn from the said magazine into the spent shuttle of that compartment of the multiple-box which has been brought into cooperative relationship with the said pirn-changing mechanism.

13. In a loom having the shuttle-housing and picker mechanisms thereof and the slay carried on a swing rail, the combination of a revolvable multiple-compartment shuttle-box, each of the compartments of which constitutes a shuttle-box for housing an individual shuttle, means whereby the multiple-box may be revolved to bring each of the shuttle-housing compartments thereof in turn opposite the picker for picking the shuttle thereof and in turn in front of. a pirn-changing mechanism to replenish the spent shuttle with a fresh pirn, a pirn-changing mechanism including a stationary pirn magazine mounted towards the front of the loom and a hammer-type pirntransfer member, and means whereby said pirntransfer member may be caused to operate at a beating up movement of the loom slay towards the front of the loom to effect the transfer of a pirn from the said pirn magazine into the shuttle of that compartment of the multiple-box which has been previously brought into cooperative relationship with the said pirn-changing mechamm.

14. In a loom, the combination claimed in claim 13 wherein the multiple-compartment shuttle-box is mounted to partake of the same movement as the slay of the loom and the hammer-type pirn-transfer member is operable, for a pirn transfer, to strike'a fresh pirn out of the said magazine and into the shuttle of that compartment of the said multiple-box which has been brought into cooperative relation therewith as the said box moves towards the stationary magazine as the slay beats up, the spent pirn being simultaneously forced out of the shuttle by the pressing home of the fresh pirn into position, and wherein the construction of each compartment of the multiple-box is such as to allow the spent pirn to fall away from the center of the compartment as the fresh pirn is pressed into position.

15. In a loom having the shuttle-housing and picker mechanisms thereof and the slay of the loom carried on a swing rail, the combination of a revolvable multiple-compartment shuttle box mounted to partake of the movement of the slay of the loom and each of the compartments of which constitutes a shuttle-box adapted to house an individual shuttle, means whereby a movement of partial rotation may be imparted to the said multiple-box to displace an individual shuttlehousing compartment thereof from opposite the picker of the loom and simultaneously t bring another shuttle-housing compartment thereof opposite the said picker and yet another shuttlehousing compartment thereof containing a spent shuttle opposite the magazine of a pirn-changing mechanism, a pirn-changing mechanism including a magazine for full weft pirns which is nonmovable with the slay of the loom, and a hammer-type pirn-transfer member fulcrumed on the swing rail of the loom and adapted to be operated to strike a fresh pirn from the saidmagazine into a spent shuttle in that compartment of the said picker mechanisms thereof and the slay of the loom carried on a swing rail and weft-feeler motion for indicating the failure of the weft-thread, the combination of a revolvable multiple-compartment shuttle-box, each of the compartments of which constitutes the shuttle-box for housing an individual shutle, the said multiple-compartment box being oscillatable with the slay of the loom, a pirn-changing mechanism including a stationary pirn magazine mounted towards the front of the loom and a hammer-type pirn-transfer member fulcrumed around the swing rail of the loom, and means operable under the control of the said weft-feeler motion for imparting a movement of partial rotation to the said multiple-compartment box upon the weft-thread failing, whereby to displace from opposite the picker that compartment of the multiple-box which contains the shuttle which has been spent and to bring opposite the said picker a compartment containing a shuttle which has been replenished with a fresh pirn by the said pirn-changing mechanism, the said means including a driving sprocket wheel mounted to partake of the movement of the slay of the loom, a chain drive from such and simultaneously to bring opposite the said picker a compartment containing a shuttle which has been replenished with a fresh pirn by the said pirn-changing mechanism, and to bring opposite the saidpirn-changing mechanism yet a further compartment of the box containing a spent shuttle ready to be replenished with a fresh'pirn, said partial rotation of the multiple-compartment box taking place upon the weft-thread failing at a beating-up movement of the slay towards the front of the loom, and means operable at the next pick of the loom, also during the beating-up movement of the slay towards the front of the loom, to

operate the said pirn-transfer hammerto'strike a fresh pirn from the said magazine into the spent shuttle of that compartment of the multiple-box which has been brought opposite the said magazine and simultaneously to force out from the said; compartment the spent shuttle.

18. In a loom having the shuttle-housing and a revolvable multiple-compartment shuttle-box said multiple-box may be revolved to bring each I of the shuttle-housing compartments thereof in sprocket wheel to the revolvable multiple-compartment box, and means controlled by the said weft-feeler motion for effecting a partial rotation of the said driving sprocket wheel upon the weftthread failing.

17. In a loom having the shuttle-housing and picker mechanisms thereof and the slay of the loom carried on a swing rail and a weft-feeler motion for indicating the failure of the weftthread, the provision of automatically operating weft-replenishing means comprising the combination of a revolvable multiple-compartment ments of which constitutes a shuttle-box adapted to house an individual shuttle, the said multiple;

compartment box having at least three shuttlehousing compartments, a pirn-changing mechanism including a stationary pirn magazine mounted towards the front of the loom and'a hammer-type pirn-transfer member fulcrumed around the swing rail of the loom, means operable under the control of the said weft-feeler motion for imparting a movement of partial rotationto turn opposite the, said picker for picking the shuttle thereof and in turn in front of a pirn-changing mechanism to replenish the spent shuttle with a "fresh pirn, and a pirn-changing mechanism includinga stationary pirn magazine and a pirntransfer member fulcrumed on the swing rail of the loom, the arrangement being such that the replenishment of a spent shuttle when presented to the pirn-changing mechanism is effected, as the said slay-and multiple-box move in a determined direction around the said swing rail, by a countermovement of the said pirn-transfer member in the opposite direction around the said swing rail, whereby both the fresh pirn and the spent shuttle move simultaneously towards one another on the same are of a circle during the pirn-transfer.

19. In a loom, an oscillating s1ay,-areV01V-" able shuttle-box on the slay, a, stationary magazine containing full weft pirns in front of said box, and a hammer-type pirn changer including a hammer, member fulcrumed coaxially with the oscillating slay and operable to press a full weft pirn from the magazine into a shuttle in the box containing an empty pirn and at the same time forcing the empty pirn out of the shuttle.

20. A loom as claimed in claim 18 character-v ized by a sprocket wheel and chain drive for the revolvable box, and catch for operating said sprocket wheel. 7 I

' HARRY BRACEWEIL. 

